"Wow…"
The place was beautiful. The front door opened into a small foyer, which from the looks of all the hooks was designed to hold coats and boots and other outerwear to avoid allowing snow, mud and water to be tracked into the rest of the house. They all hung up their coats and went into the huge living room, looking around with interest at the place that they would be living the next few days.
The living room was warmly decorated. There was a large sectional sofa, a couple of recliners and two oversized beanbag chairs all centered around a massive fireplace with a large flat screen TV installed on the wall above it. Off the living room was a dining room with a large but not pompous table that would fit all of them easily, and beyond that was a kitchen with a center island similar to the one in the sanctum, complete with a few bar stools tucked up against it.
"Very nice, Tony," Strange said, looking around, clearly impressed. "I was worried that you'd lost your mind for a while there. This isn't too bad at all."
"Thanks," Stark said. "I think."
He watched as the others looked around for a minute, and Steve put Jack on the floor, allowing the puppy a chance to familiarize himself with the area as well.
"Bedrooms are all upstairs," Pepper told them.
There were enough rooms that anyone who wanted their own could. The rooms were similar – the only difference being the view from the windows – and they all had soon chosen a room and dropped their bags on their respective beds. Peter, Ned, MJ and Steve all had their own rooms, while Natasha and Strange were sharing one, and Tony and Pepper had the master suite which was the only room on the downstairs level, right off the living room.
Once they were set, they locked an indignant Jack into the downstairs bathroom to keep him from being underfoot and then unloaded the crate in the front of the house. Food went into the pantry, or into the fridge, the bags went into the bedrooms, the outdoor items (skis, sleds and the innertubes) all were put on the porch for the time being. Then the puppy was released and brought into the living room once more.
"Are we ready for some lunch?" Pepper asked, certain that Ned, at least, had to be hungry after being so sick on the flight.
The others agreed, and Stephen and Pepper shooed everyone else out, telling them that they would call them when lunch was ready. Natasha could cook, and Steve was capable enough to make a passable meal, but Pepper had learned to cook when she was young, and Stephen and Wong always cooked for themselves, so they were the two who planned on being the actual cooks when it came to more than just cereal.
"We're going to go look around outside," Peter told Tony as Stark settled himself in one of the recliners and watched Steve starting a fire in the fireplace. "Okay?"
"Sure. Just stay close."
"Yeah."
"Can we take Jack outside Steve?" MJ asked, looking at the puppy, who was sniffing one of the beanbag chairs.
"Of course." Steve pointed at the leash and harness that he'd set on the coffee table. "Put him in his harness, though, please. We don't want to have to go looking for him if he takes off."
Not that it was likely, but Jack was young enough to still be unpredictable and Steve knew it.
She cooed the puppy while Ned struggled to get his squirming little body into the harness – getting it on right after the third try – and then the three headed outside with MJ holding the end of Jack's leash.
"This place is really pretty," Ned said, putting his gloved hands on the rail of the porch and looking out over the back.
The house was situated at the foot of a hill that led up to a mountain that was covered in trees. The area closest to the cabin was well groomed and the hill had all kinds of potential for sledding. The trees on either side of the hill were all evergreens but at the front of the house there were other kinds – some still sporting brightly colored leaves that hadn't yet been shed before the snow had begun to fall.
"Yeah, it is," MJ agreed. "I have to admit, I was skeptical about the whole Montana thing, but it should be fun."
He smiled.
"Yeah. Come on."
He led them down the stairs and out into the snow, mindful that Jack wasn't really tall enough to see over the deep snow they were suddenly trudging through. MJ walked in Peter's footsteps and broke a trail for the puppy and they explored almost to the trees on the left side of what they were already thinking of as the sledding hill.
"We should try out the sleds," Ned said. "You know, quality control to make sure they work."
Peter grinned at that, but he really didn't see any harm in it, and he was excited to try it, too.
"I'll go get a couple of them," he offered. "Start up the hill, I'll catch up."
"Okay."
They parted ways, but not for long. Peter trotted as well as he could through the snow while MJ and Ned headed up the hill with Jack. Peter joined them just as they reached the crest of the hill, which was a lot higher than it looked from below. Then they stood at the top, looking down while catching their breath from the walk. None of them had actually sledded before, but they all knew the general idea. Hop on the sled and let gravity do its work.
Peter had only brought two sleds, but they were big ones, designed for two people on each.
"I'll take Jack," he said, figuring that there was probably safety in numbers when it came to sledding, and Ned and MJ could go together. "You guys can decide who sits in the front."
Peter set his sled down and got on it, but kept his feet out to keep from sliding before he was ready. MJ handed Jack over, and Peter put the puppy between his knees where he could keep him secure and hold him tightly. Ned and MJ played rock, paper, scissors but Peter wasn't sure which position was the desired one, and watched as Ned took the front of the sled, tucking his feet inside, while MJ got on behind him and put her hands on his shoulders.
Ned looked over at him.
"Ready?"
They grinned, excitedly, at the same time.
"Yeah."
They pushed off at the same time, side by side, and almost immediately were going incredibly fast down the hill, snow flying into their faces and in all directions as they went. MJ squealed, ducking her head against Ned's back to avoid being whitewashed but Peter, Ned and even Jack were blanketed by the time they reached the bottom and slowed down.
"That was fracking awesome!" Ned said, jumping up excitedly when they came to a stop and pulling MJ to her feet as well. "Oh my God, Peter, did you see how fast we went?"
"Yeah." He grinned and got up, too, holding Jack in one arm and trying to brush some of the snow off the lab's furry body.
Jack didn't look quite as impressed as his three companions did.
"Peter," It was Tony's voice coming over his watch. "Come in, guys, lunch is ready."
Peter told the others, and he handed Jack over to Ned to free his hands to reply.
"We'll be right there."
OOOOOOO
Lunch was a simple affair. A huge pot of beef stew (heated from a few cans and certainly not from scratch) bread rolls fresh from the oven and a simple tray of sliced vegetables were on the table when the teens entered the dining room after shedding coats and boots.
"You guys are soaked," Pepper noted, looking up from her seat as they walked in.
The snow that had splattered them had melted in their hair and while MJ wasn't too wet, because she'd been shielded by Ned on the ride down the hill, Peter and Ned were very wet, indeed.
"We tried out the sleds," Ned told them, grinning, as he sat down at the table.
The exercise had made him hungry – not to mention being sick earlier.
"How was it?" Steve asked.
"Great."
Peter nodded his agreement, taking a spot beside Tony, who reached out and ruffled his soaking wet hair, affectionately, pleased to see the boy looking so happy.
"Did you find the hill, then?"
"It's right behind the house," Ned answered. "It's big, too. Took forever to climb to the top and next to no time to slide down it."
"We'll have to check it out after lunch," Natasha said, also enjoying the excitement that the kids were exhibiting.
"After someone does the dishes," Stephen said. "We cooked, so we don't want to have to do them."
"I can do the dishes," Peter said.
He'd noticed that there was a dishwasher in the kitchen, so it wasn't going to be anything like washing dishes when they'd gone camping – and even that hadn't been so horrible, really.
"I'll help you," MJ offered. "That way Ned can show everyone the hill."
Pepper smiled.
"That's thoughtful, MJ. Thank you."
Tony looked over at Peter, but he was applying himself to his meal, and didn't look up. Which made Stark smile, too.
"Don't take too long, though," he told them. "There's only so much daylight left, and we'll want to take advantage of it when we can."
Once night fell the kids would be inside. He didn't want to risk anyone wandering off and getting lost. And maybe getting eaten by a moose.